Sign.



Patnted Feb E. J. BRADY.

sum. APPLICATION FILED JUNE13, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

m N m m EdwarafiIBr V ATM/ME).

"E. J. BRADY.

fdwara av I l W II, I \b I, 1 H I Il/l/l/l/l/ll/ll yy/lll/l I II I I HIIT I I I I I I I l I|IIIII|n I M m IIIIIIIIIIIIflIIIIIIII IIflIfl n i I II II I M i o ill I IHII W il III, III I I I I I I l l I I l I l MIVWM A7 II I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I II I I HUII I HIHI I II IH IHTI I. g s I m y E. N 0 v 4 THE COLUMB A PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D.C,

an s.

EnwAIm .r. BRADY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYLvA I :As sIGNoE-ro THE UNITEDGAS IMrRovEMENr COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A ooa oEA- TIONPENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom it may concern: 1

'Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BRA Y, a citizen of the United States,anda resident of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and'State ofPennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Signs,of which the following is a speclfication. 1 Y T The principal object ofthe present invention is to provide an illuminated talking or changingdisplay signwhich is economical in construction and operation, in thatit requires but few lights and is 'easy on the eyes and legible, sinceit shows sharp dark letters or a wide variety of sharp display on alight ground. It employs constantly burning lights and is well suited togas illumination and the display may be easily changed.

The invention will be claimed at the end hereof, but will be firstdescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof, and in which- Figure 1, is a front view of a sign embodyingfeatures of the invention. Fig. 2,

is a transverse sectional view of the same, showing but one of thecells. Fig. 3, is a front view of a portion of the surface of the sign,drawn to an enlarged scale, and showing one of the elements: Fig. 4, isa transverse sectional view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5,

is a side view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustratingparts of the sign, and Fig. 6, is a sectional view, drawn to an enlargedscale, of a part of the apparatus shown at the top in Fig. 5.

The elements 1 form the sign surface.

2, is a source of light, of which the illumination falls obliquely uponthe sign surface.

3, are cells in respect to which the elements 1 are movable to changethe amount of light falling upon different parts of the surface to, formthe display.

4, is a housing, within which the parts of the sign may be arranged, andit is provided with a transparent front 5.

6, is a back plate and 7 a partition which carries the reflector 8, thatserves to throw light obliquely upon the surface of the sign. The sourceof light is shown as a row of inverted incandescent gas lights suppliedfrom pipe 9. Of course any other source of light may be employed, butthe invention is particularly well adapted for use in con nection withgas, because the source of light ,Specification of Letters Patent.PatentedFeb. 8, 1916. Application filed June 13, 1914. Serial No.844,869.. 7 V

burns constantly. Toward the front, the

back plate is provided with projecting walls or partitions that make upthe cells 3 and these wallsor partitions'may. be black. :In thespace atthe back of the back plate are arranged cylinders 10 which are providedwith pistonsll connected with the stems 12 of the elements 1. Theelements maypresent a mat-white surface and they are normally inonepla'ne, constituting the surface of the sign. Springs 13 and somekind of stops, as 14, serve to normally position the elements 1 in thesame plane. The cylinder 15 serves to accommodate the spring 13.

In Fig. 4, the dotted lines show the position of the element 1 when itis retracted into its cell and hence not illuminated. Each cylinder 10is connected by a short tube 16 with the casing 17 of a rotary valve.The casing 17 may be mounted above the partition 7 and kept properlywarm by heat from the source of light 2. The tubes 16 are alined alongthe casing 17. Within the casing there is a rotary hollow valve 18.Compressed air is admitted to the interior of this valve 18, asby a pipe'19. The

which are disposed in appropriate angular relation. On the outside ofthe rotary valve and between the rows of ports are exhaust channels 21which communicate with an ofl'take 22. 23 is a removable cap by means ofwhich the rotary valve can be withdrawn and replaced by another rotaryvalve.

In use the display, whether letters or valve 18 is provided with rowsof'ports 2O numbers or figures or what-not, is produced by withdrawingthose elements 1 into their cells 3 which are appropriate for producingthe desired display. The light shining obliquely on the sign surfaceilluminates that surface but does not illuminate the ele- Inents whichare retracted into their cells,

wheel 25, which is connected with it. The

rows of holes or ports 20 in the rotary valve correspond to thoseelements 1, which it is 5 desired to retract in order to make therequired display. By the movement of the valve 18 a row of holes orports is brought opposite the roW of tubes 16. Compressed air passesthrough the ports 20 and to the tube 16, thusactuating the pistons inthe cylinders With Which the tubes 16 connect and so Withdrawing a groupof elements 1 into their cells. At the next turning movement of therotary valve 18 the tubes 16 and their cylinders 10 are brought intocommunication With the exhaust channel 21 and so the pistons 10 areexhausted through the opening 22. The springs 13 then return theelements to the sign surface, thereafter the valve 18 is again rotatedand stopped and the operation is repeated with another combination ofelements producing a different display.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may bemade in details of construction and arrangement Without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, which is not intended to be limited furtherthan the prior state of the art or the appended claim may require.

What I claim is 'A sign comprising the combination of cells having Wallselements movable Within the cells and normally forming the sign surface,illuminating means from Which light falls obliquely upon the signsurface and means for Withdrawing the elements into the cells to permitthe Walls thereof to totally obscure the light in all directions fromthe faces of the elements, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

EDWVARD J. BRADY.

Witnesses:

S. E. PATTERSON, FRANK E. FRENCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

